Joseph m



(ModeL) J. M. EDGAR. INDIGATOR LOOK.

No. 449,314. Patented Mar. 31, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOSEPH l. EDGAR, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR 'lO JOHNZ. RORABACK, OF SAME PLACE.

INDICATOR-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,314, dated March 31, 1891.

Application filed September 13, 1890. Serial No. 364,875. (Modeld To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. EDGAR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Indicator-Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in the class of permutation-locks known as indicator-locks.

My object is to provide a comparatively simple and highly effective construction of indicator-lock, the principle involved in which shall be adaptable for use for the purposes, generally, to which permutation-locks are applicable, but which construction shall be especially useful in connections wherein the service desired of the lock is not so much that of precluding the opening thereof as to indicate the fact that such opening has been at tempted or accomplished. Locks in this sense of various descriptions have been hitherto provided for especial use on the doors of freightcars and the like; and my improvement is particularly designed for use in that connect-ion.

in the accompai'iying drawings, Figure l is a View in elevation of a lock involving my improvement and constructed in the form of a padlock; Fig. 2, a vertical section through the device as shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a section taken on the line 3 of Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4, a section taken on the line 4; i of Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows; and Figs. 5, 6, 7, and S are plan views of details of the indicator mechanism.

A is a case containing any desired numher, more than one, of rings having teeth provided around their inner circumferences,differing in number on the respective rings and supported concentrically one above the other (regarding the look as used in a vertical po sition) and preferably out of contact with each other inside the case. The case contains, furthermore, a pinion for each ring, supported eccentrically inside the series of rings to engage their teeth and accessible from without the case to enable rotation thereof and thereby effect rotation of the rings. Each ring is provided about its external circumference with characters, as numbers or letters, or both, as shown, which should coincide with the internal teeth, whereby turning of the rings will bring combinations of the charactersin vertical series to atransparent (as a glass-covered) vertical opening r in the case.

The foregoing is a general description of my improvement, stating what are considered the essential features of the construction in any form of the look.

A detailed description of the lock as it is illustrated in the drawings in a padlock form and involving the preferred construction of the details is as follows: The case A tapers toward its base and has hinged to one side of its flaring end a bolt 13, formed into a catch g at its free end and there adapted to entera recess 1.) in a protuberance p opposite that at which the bolt is hinged to the case. lhe flange 0 at the end of the recess 0' of the catch q in the end of the bolt projects, when the catch is inserted into its recess 2), beyond the inner surface of the case, as shown in Fig. 2. In the base a of the case A an opening n is provided eccentrieally, and the vertical glass-covered opening "1' is provided in a side of the case A. The interior of the caseis provided circumferentially with shoulders 771, Z, and 7c, the number of which may, however, be less or more than three, depending on the number of rings, hereinafter described, to rest upon them, andfor which they afford seats. Above the uppermost seat 7a a shoulder 2 is provided to afford a guide-seat for a horizontal circumferential flange around the upper edge of the uppermost ring.

D, E, F, and G denote the rings hereinbefore referred to. Each is in the form of an annular band having teeth tproj ectin g toward its center at intervals around its interior surface and preferably from near the upper edge of the ring, as shown, and around the outer surface of each band are provided cha acters, as the numerals and letters shown, which should respectively correspond in number and coincide with the teeth 15 on each. The

lowermost internal gear-ring D, provided with a certain number of teeth tsay eleven, as shown fits with desirable loosen ess thelower part of the case A and rests on its base n.

The next ring E is efgreater diameter than the ring D to rest in the seat or, and has an increased number of teeth t-say twelve, as shown. The ring F is of still greater diameter to adaptit to reston the seat Z, and "has more teeth than the ring Esay thirteen, as shown-and the ring G, havingthe-largest number of teeth tsay fourteenis of a diameter to adapt it rest on the seat 7;. Around its upper edge the uppermost internal gearring has a horizontal notched flange h, the notches h in which may be provided in any desired number and, if several be provided, as shown, at equal or uuequal.intervals.- Each notch must be suificientlywide to admit the catch end q of the bolt, which isloeked against withdrawal from the recess 1) by turning the uppermost ring (which is, as will thus be.

seen, in the nature of an annular tumbler) to cause its flange h to overlap the fiangeo of the catch q.

Vhile it is preferred that the rings shall rest on seats and differ in their diameters,ase

described, they may rest one upon the other and be all of the same diameter, provided they vary as to the number of their teetht,

though the variation in the number of the teeth need notbe in theorder shown,.but may be inversely of that order or in different or irregular order.

0 is a rotary pinion-shaft terminating at its lower end in a slotted head g, fitting the opening 71. provided eccentrically in the base 11 of the'case and having its lower bearing againstthe inner surface of the base 12, afforded by a collarf. The upper end of. the shaft C has its bearing in the coverA' of the case A.

along the length of. the shaft within "theicase.

I prefer, however, to form or provide the teeth t on the shaft 0 in a manner to pro-.

duce pin ions 0 at intervals, one for eachring,

to engage withthe internal teeth tthereoff As shown, each pinion'C has six teeth: andis;

much smaller in diameter than the interior diameter of any ofthe internal gear-rin gs, but meshes with the teeth thereof at one side of each ring by being set in the eccentric bean, ings for the opposite ends of the pinion shaft.

The lock is worked by turningthe shaft 0 on its axis, and I provide for so turning it by adapting the head 9 to admit a suitable key (not shown) into a slot g, forming a keyseatr Of course any. rigid instrument that will enof atooth t, thus bringing with each such turn,

a ditferent character to view at the opening 1', they are turned differentially, whereby not only a new vertical combination is brought The shaft 0 is provided radially with teeth 15', which may, without impairing it for my purpose, extend each continuously to the opening rby turning the shaft 0 the exe of net e'thie ilnt ie t bntbecm the production of a complete revolution of the ring having the smallest number of teeth 7 i will produce only partial revolutions of the others, the combination must obviously be changed with .each'suchcomplete revolution. A spring-(loge or stop (indicated by a dotted representation in Fig. 5) is provided on the under side of the cover A to engage with the teeth 15 of the uppermost ring G and prevent its pinion from being turned to reverse it, whereby also, obviously, backward turning of the other rings is prevented;

AsI havearrangedthe characters on the respective rings the one having the fewest teeth is provided with the numbers-Oto, 9 insuccession and the letter A. That havingthe next larger .n umber of "LQGthIllflS the same or.- der of numbers succeeded by theletters A The third ring in order as to the increasing number of teethh'as the statedxorder of nu m-- bers succeeded by the letters ABC; andthe uppermost ring having the largest number of the teeth has-the said numbers followed'by the letters A B O D. However, the arrange-Q ment and nature of the characters for forming the combinations may of course bepro;

vided in any other, suitable manner. WVhen.

a notch h'in the flange of.the,ring,G is brought coincident with thecatch p on the end of the bolt B. the latter maybe withdrawn If but one notch h is provided, to unlock'thebolt requires the uppermost ringtobe turned completely around, whileif 'therebe several;

such notches. the unlocking maybe effectedthe nnmber of times corresponding with the number of notches in each said "revolution, By making a tumbler like the ringG ofi eaclr or several ofthe other rings theunlocking could only be effected readily with a knewl-f edge of a particular combination. 7 \Vhen my improved indieator-lockiis .used for sealing freight-car doors or for, any analo gous purpose wherein the device is toserve more asa detector than a lock, I :cover; the. opening, a. in theebase n of. the caSer-and; thereby also the headg of .the shaft ith;

card-board or other permeable material that will necessitate puncturingor cutting-to persmit access to be had with aflkeyto thekey seat gand leave evidence of. such puncturingv I show the means referred to, andor cutting. I which thus afiord a detector in additionto that afiorded bythe permutation mechanism,

asa card-board diskd, confinedfinan aunt lar metal holder 0, permanently secured jto thebase n of thecase Agover the head 9, pt

the pinionshaftl If' the lockbe ofga form;

wherein inits usethe internal gear-ringsare caused to extend horizontally or sideby side,

such arrangementis of course intended to be included in the terms of the appended"- claims.

What I claim as new, and ;desir erto secl e byLetters Patent, is-. v

1. In an indicator-lock,-the combination,-

with a suitable case and a bolt, of rings supported one above the other and independently revoluble in the case and provided on their inner sides with teeth 2?, differing in number on the respective rings, and externally with characters, a pinion for each ring, supported eccentrically within the series of rings in engagement with the teeth '6 and accessible to permit rotation thereof and thereby produce rotation of the rings from without the case, and means, substantially as described, for locking the bolt, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an indicator-lock, the combination of a case A, provided internally with seats arranged one above the other, a bolt, rings supported and independently revoluble on the seats and provided on their inner sides with teeth 25, differing in number on the respective rings, and externally with characters, a pinion for each ring supported eccentrically Within the series of rings in engagement with the teeth I; and accessible to permit rotation thereof and thereby produce rotation of the rings from without the case, and means, substantially as described, for locking the bolt, substantially as and for the purpose set forth 3. In an indicator-lock, the combination, with a suitable case and a bolt, of rings supported one above the other and independently revoluble in the case and provided on their inner sides with teeth t, differing in number on the respective rings, and externally with characters, a pinion for each ring supported eccentrically within the series of rings in engagement with the teeth '6 and accessible to permit rotation thereof and thercbv produce rotation of the rings from without the case, means, substantially as described, for locking the bolt, and a stop for preventing backward turning of the rings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

at. In an indicator-lock, the combination, with a case A, having a bolt B, of rings supported one above the other and independently revoluble in the case and provided on their inner sides with teeth 2, differing in number 011 the respective rings, and externally with characters, the outermost ring forming a tumbler to engage and lock the bolt, a pinion shaft C, journaled in the case to extend eccentrically through the rings and havingpinions 0 engaging the teeth 25, and a stop for preventing backward turning of the rings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. An indicator-lock comprising,in combination, a case A, having a bolt B, rings supported one above the other and independently revoluble in the case and provided on their inner sides with teeth 1, differing in number on the respective rings, and externally with characters, the outermost ring having a notched flange 71- to engage and lock the bolt, a pinion-shaft O, journaled in the case to extend through an end thereof and eccentrically through the rings and having pinions G engaging the teeth t, a key-seat in the exposed said end of the shaft 0, and a stop for preventing backward turning of the rings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. An indicator-lock comprising, in combination, a case A, having a bolt B, rings supported one above the other and independently revoluble in the case and provided on their inner sides with teeth 2, differing in number on the respective rings and externally with characters, the outermost ring having a notched flange 7b to engage and lock the belt, a pinion-shaft C, journaled in the case to extend through one end thereof and eccentrically through the rings and having pinions C engaging the teeth I, a key-seat in the exposed said end of the shaft C, a permeable shield (Z, secured to cover the said key-seat, and a stop for preventing backward turning of the rings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JOSEPI'T. M. EDGAR. In presence of P. P. HANDIBODE, II. KINLER. 

